Helmcken Alley
Hey there, Friends!
In this week’s episode of i hope it’s a ghost, we’re going to return to Victoria Island, British Columbia.
So far, we’ve only touched on the ghosts who haunt the Fairmont Empress and Rogers Chocolates at 913 Government Street.
However, one area of the city practically pulses with paranormal and spiritual energy. One of the most common hauntings one can experience in this area occurs in Helmcken Alley.
Helmcken Alley - A Brief History
Helmcken Alley is tucked away in Bastion Square. So it’s difficult to talk about Helmcken Alley without exploring Bastion Square first.
Today, Bastion Square is a fabulous space with an eclectic range of markets, shops, and restaurants.
Sounds super cheery and delightful, right?
Well, this wasn’t always the case (although I suppose it depends on who you ask).
In the 1800s, Bastion Square was the location of the city’s public hangings.
Only 11 prisoners were hanged in Bastion Square. Their unclaimed bodies (and those of other prisoners whose necks never met a noose) were buried beneath Basion Square Jail, located in Helmcken Alley.
In 1885 the jail closed and was demolished to begin construction on a courthouse. During the excavation, however, many of the bodies were never found.
The Helmcken Alley Experience
I had the opportunity to visit Victoria in April 2022.
Even though Helmcken Alley is ‘tucked away,’ the creepy energy emanating from the narrow pathway practically screamed for my attention.
Sandwiched between two commercial buildings, Helmcken Alley’s multiple bricked archways immediately captured my interest. But no matter what I did, I just couldn’t bring myself to get too close. Not on my own.
I’m dead serious.
I tried to convince myself to enter the alley, but I couldn’t gather the courage. The only thought that popped into my head was, going in there is how you die. And this was my daytime experience!
I had signed up for a ghost tour on my second night in Victoria. So you can be sure I wasn’t at all surprised that one of our last stops took place in Helmcken Alley.
Feeling significantly braver with at least a dozen other people surrounding me, our tour guide told us about the poor soul who haunts this area of Victoria.
What Happened in Helmcken Alley?
According to local legend, prisoners walked through Helmcken Alley to reach the gallows.
One fateful day, a prisoner, chained and bound by the hands and ankles, broke away from his guard. Unfortunately, he didn’t make it very far. Police beat him to death right there and then.
Like those ill-fated prisoners, many who dare pass through Helmcken Alley, feel like someone is following closely behind. People claim to have heard the dragging of chains or have even seen a man dressed in a prison uniform enter the alley behind them.
Thanks to the boisterous and silly mood of the participants the night of the ghost tour, no one felt the cold hands of a murdered prisoner grab them from behind.
But . . .
After everyone had walked through the alley and before we moved on to our next haunted site, I took the above photo.
It’s likely just a trick of the light, but that patch of mist highlighted against the dimly lit archways still leaves me seriously weirded out.
I’m curious to know your thoughts! Would you stroll down Helmcken Alley without a second thought, or would you need a little support? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
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As always, thanks for reading. ✌️🖤👻